What It Means To Be Human
by Koji Inari
Summary: Roxas is living with his brother Sora in WWII Germany. Determined to live for his country and mesmerized by Hitler's words, he is drawn into the military. But can he fight his own brother? [Dedicated to Mr. Harlequin. Violence, Swearing, No pairing yet]


-1**Title**: What It Means To Be Human

**Warnings**: Nazis, Language, Violence…not sure about romance yet. There might be, but I won't include it for the sake of having it. I have to think of the story first you know.

**Rated**: M

**Music**: Like You - Evanescence

**A/N: **Don't you think Roxas would make a great Nazi? He is like, the definition of Nazi (as far as physical looks go. And if you ignore the fact that he is Japanese) Ah…whatever. Hope you like. Please read. Also, please tell me if I get any of my facts wrong. I may or may not change them, but I would like to get this story as accurate as possible.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own KH.

**What It Means to be Human**

**Chapter 1**

"Hey, Sora, what do you think of Hitler?"

It was September of 1939. Fall had already set in, turning the landscape into a brilliant masterpiece of red and orange hues, with just a smidge of gold thrown in for good measure. My brother and I were outside, enjoying the crisp air that had only just started to turn cold. I don't understand exactly what made me bring up the subject of Hitler. Maybe it was something to do with the way my heart beat a little faster at each of his words. He had been on the radio this morning, and I still got the chills each time I thought of the message.

"I'm not so sure I like him Rox," Sora replied as he kicked at a particularly large pile of leaves. "I mean, he's thrusting this country into war. After everything that Germany has been through, is a war really the answer to our problems?"

I chuckled at the naivety of my brother. He could be so childish sometimes. He never listened to the speeches, he never really understood the ideals. "Think about it though, Sora. I mean, Germany has practically died because of what we've gone through. Just think, with him in charge, we might actually become strong again. Don't you want that? For Germany to come back and be alive again?"

"But look at what he says Roxas. He talks about how our problems are because of the Jews, and all this other stuff….I don't know. It just doesn't seem right to me. I think this is just going to go too far and end up hurting Germany more."

Silence followed my brother's words, interrupted only by the rustle of the leaves in the wind. I pulled my worn coat closer to keep out the chill. As we trudged onward I thought about what he had said. He just might be right…

But then the words of Hitler came back to my brain, his deep gruff voice replacing the gentle trill of my brother's. No, I couldn't let Sora cloud my thoughts. I needed to take pride in my country. Hitler was right, war was the answer, the Jews the problem.

"Hey Rox, I'll race you!" my brother yelled. He smiled at my bemused expression and bolted off down the long dirt road toward the small town in which we lived. I grinned and took off after him, each thud of my feet on the ground echoing in my mind like a drumbeat. My brother was wrong, he'd see. I would make him see. Things just weren't the way he thought they were.

---o)0(o---

"Turn that damn thing off," my father growled. I was sitting in front of the radio, paying rapt attention to the voice on the other end. I barely heard the words coming out of his mouth before I felt his large meaty hand grab my shoulder. "Turn it off and come and eat," he huffed.

Sighing, I grudgingly got up from my seat on the floor and turned the radio off. I was still in a bit of a daze, Hitler's words were just so powerful, they rang in my ears. He was going to bring Germany back!

"Roxas! Hurry up!"

I jumped before muttering a hurried "sorry!" and following my father to the table. Sora and I sat down and waited patiently for my father to bring us our food. When he did, I was disappointed.

"What the hell is this?" I groaned, pushing the unappetizing looking stew around with my fork. My father grunted in reply.

"It's all I could cook up. You know we're nearly broke. We have to eat everything that's left over. We shouldn't waste food."

I wrinkled my nose and pushed the….whatever it was, away from me. "I'm not eating this pig's slop"

My brother's forehead knitted together in worry. "Roxas…maybe it would be better to…"

"No! I'm sick of this. We haven't had a descent meal in months. Hitler is right, Germany is wasting away, and I know why."

"You better watch your tongue!" my father spat, He clenched his hand in anger. I could see him start to shake slightly. "I don't know why you listen to that crap. That man will only bring ruin and destruction! I should have destroyed that radio long ago."

I snorted and stood up from me seat, matching my father's glare in intensity. "Maybe you should spend more time listening to it!" My hands hit the sturdy wooden table with a thump. "You sit here being docile and let poverty take us over! Look at us Father! We're practically dead as it is! Why don't you be a real man and fight for your country?"

"Is that what this is about?" My father's teeth clenched in silent anger and he relaxed his arms, letting his hands drift open and closed like a cat about to pounce on prey. "You hate the way we live, and think that it'll all be solved if I go into the military?"

I continued my relentless glare, my fists clenched in anticipation of the fight. I always got him riled up. Weather this argument would result in a physical or verbal altercation was up to him, and only God knew the answer.

"Well?" I hissed. "What do you have to say to that?"

His blue eyes drifted shut for only a fraction of a second before his fist connected with my face. The reaction took me by surprise and I was thrown backwards to the floor.

"What do I have to say to that? You ungrateful little shit! What have I ever done but think of you two? I work my ass off every day so that you might have something to eat! Where would you be in this world if it weren't for me? What would happen if I went into the military? You can't live on your own! You can't support yourself! I'm the only thing keeping you _alive!_"

The patch of skin where his knuckles had hit burned. Careful not to actually touch the skin too hard, I brushed my fingertips across the surface. My lip was bleeding. "You never thought about anything but yourself." I murmured. "You're too much of a coward to do what a real man would do."

My father was about to take a step toward me when the scraping of wood on wood caught our ears. We both looked up in time to see my brother stand, tears in his eyes.

"What is it with you two? Why are you always fighting?" He swallowed a batch of tears and most likely some bile as well. "Why do we always have to fight? Can't we just live together like a normal family?"

My father was silent. Sora was his favorite son, the youngest. I knew he was regretting raising his voice. I glared daggers into the side of his head, waiting for some sort of response, but none ever came. Instead, he shook his head and walked off to his bedroom, slamming the door shut when he got there. My whole body relaxed as he left the room. I could literally feel the tension drip out of my bones.

"Thanks Sor…" I started to say, but before I could finish the statement my brother rushed passed me, head down, tears in his eyes, and slammed our shared bedroom door behind him. I sighed. That was not what I had wanted.

Carefully I stood up, my hand traveling to my split lip and wiping the blood away on the sleeve of my threadbare shirt. I glanced around the room, taking in the sparse furnishings: the radio, a small wooden table and three chairs, a trunk full of various belongings of my mother, and three bowls of sludge.

Angrily I stalked out of the house, heading off toward the woods behind it. We lived on the edge of the town, in the middle of nowhere. A man could really lose himself in a place like that.

And that's exactly what I did. I lost myself amidst the evening sky and fluttering leaves. At the angle the sun was at, the leaves seemed to be covered in blood, their red hue intensified by the fading sunlight. To most people it would have been a terrifying sight, one that would bring demons and fire to mind. To me, it symbolized the dawn of a new era. An era of greatness and strength. An era of Power. It didn't matter if my father disagreed with me. Our future, _my future,_ could only be obtained through bloodshed.

That was what I believed, and I was the type who would die for my beliefs.

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Short intro. I blame Mr. Harlequin for this fic. So at the same time, I dedicate it to him! He called me a Nazi for ordering him around, and this sort of just popped into my skull! You have to love that.

Also, no, I am not a Nazi, and I do not believe in the ideals of Nazis. Just because I write a fic _about_ Nazis does not make me a Nazi. Just thought I would make that clear.

Anywho, hope you like the intro. I promise the chapters will be longer.

Please R&R!


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